Posted by
Jonathan Jackson
- Sunday, June 29, 2014
Jodorowsky's Dune chronicles the legendary Chilean director's mid-1970s incredibly ambitious attempt to adapt Frank Herbert's cult science fiction novel Dune. The project was to star Mick Jagger, Orson Welles, Salvador Dali, and David Carradine, and have an elaborate soundtrack by Pink Floyd.
In 1974, cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky attempted to create the big-screen adaptation. As well as enticing some of the greatest actors of the time, Jodorowsky enlisted some of the most promising writers and artists. Without these meetings, some of the most iconic sci-fi cinema productions would never have been made.
Herbert traveled to Europe in 1976 to find that $2 million of the $9.5 million budget had already been spent in pre-production, and that Jodorowsky's script would result in a 14-hour film. "It was the size of a phone book," Herbert later recalled.
Jodorowsky took creative liberties with the source material, but Herbert said that he and Jodorowsky had an amicable relationship. The project ultimately stalled for financial reasons. The film rights lapsed until 1982, when they were purchased by Italian filmmaker Dino De Laurentiis, who eventually released the 1984 film Dune, directed by David Lynch.
Even though production collapsed after two years, Jodorowsky's team of then-relatively unknown concept artists continued exploring the themes and styles started on the project and ended up changing modern science fiction forever.
H.R. Giger went on to Ridley Scott's masterpiece Alien, Dan O'Bannon wrote Alien and Total Recall, Jean "Moebius" Giraud created artwork and futuristic worlds for Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Tron, and The Fifth Element, and Chris Foss would go on to work on Alien and Superman. Jodorowsky's films Sante Sangre, El Topo, and The Holy Mountain have recently been released on Blu-ray in the U.S.
Director Frank Pavich of Jodorowsky's Dune tackles one of cinema's most enthralling "what could have been" stories, weaving interviews with the charismatic Jodorowsky, his collaborators, and supporters, together with animation to bring Moebius' storyboards to life. Even though the project exists only in the imaginations of its creators and as the hundreds of illustrations they left behind, Pavich's documentary chooses not to dwell on failure, but rather celebrates the ways in which the creative dreams of Dune planted seeds for many other iconic films that came after it.
This is an inspirational story about the power of the creative spirit, one that establishes Jodorowsky as a master of cinema and a true visionary of our time. Jodorowsky's Dune will available on DVD and Blu-ray on July 8, 2014.
If you could choose any actor, artist, or writer for your film who would it be and why? Let us know in the comments below.
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
- Saturday, June 28, 2014
I'm baaaaaack! Welcome to my review of the final chapter in Cullen Bunn, Salvador Espin, and Veronica Gandini's Deadpool vs. Carnage limited series comic book. It's been a fun ride, but like all good things, this too must end. Let's start off like I always do, with a brief recap to catch you up.
In Deadpool vs. Carnage #3, Cletus Kasady (aka Carnage) is beginning to experience a crisis of faith, thanks to none other than the hero of the story, Deadpool. He's been constantly harangued and hunted by the Merc with a Mouth these last three issues, who's been able to track Carnage by some ethereal method even Deadpool doesn't quite grasp despite the apparent randomness of Carnage's violence. Carnage's faithful partner in crime, Shriek, has been tagging along with him on his cross-country murder spree, but even she can't help Carnage shake his Deadpool problem.
Even though Deadpool has been met with success in tracking down Carnage by riding the insanity wave, he only just discovered (or rather bonded with) the exact tool(s) he needs to finally end the serial killer's rampage after Mercury Team—four US soldiers bonded to Venom's symbiote spawns that were previously amalgamated into the superhero symbiote Hybrid—met a brutal end at the claws of Carnage.
Issue #4 opens with Carnage and Shriek at a psychiatric hospital (a fitting venue) holding a few patients and a doctor hostage as Carnage grills them about his life-shattering discovery of the patterns behind his chaos. It's not long before Deadpool crashes the party like always, but takes no time at all to show off what he and his new symbiotic pals can do. This is perhaps the best part of the book for me; Bunn reintroduces us to what the Mercury Team symbiotes are capable of by allowing Deadpool to have his fun with Carnage. Deadpool's design with the four symbiotes isn't half bad, too. At least Espin gave the Merc his mouth.
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Admit it, Hybridpool looks much more bad-ass
than Venompool. |
Deadpool is on point with his banter, as usual, especially with the pop-culture references and Southernisms that put Cletus' backwoods pedigree to shame. Bunn further proves that when he writes Deadpool and Carnage dialogue, he writes it naturally. Crazy meets crazy, and it's a beautifully scary thing to behold.
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| Yeah…who says Carnage and Shriek aren't Marvel's Joker and Harley? |
Another way Bunn wins me over is his mindfulness to Carnage's fan base; he knows how much fans love the Carnage and Shriek pairing, and he makes Shriek an integral part of Carnage's story here. Even though Carnage may have been previously written to prefer being a lone killer, his relationship with Shriek has evolved exponentially since Carnage: Family Feud. She is the Harley Quinn to Carnage's Joker, and to further prove the point, Espin and Bunn even gave her a Harley Quinn-esque appearance in this issue with a nurse uniform and pigtails.
The way Carnage's story ends in this issue may appear anticlimactic at first, but there's a certain gravity to it that makes it a smart, fitting ending. Bunn sets things up for a revenge-driven sequel, but so far there has been no word of another miniseries spawning from this one. Luckily, Bunn knows how much symbiote fans hate it when a writer ices symbiote characters (*cough* Rick Remender *cough*) despite how much we rail against the multitudes of throwaway symbiote characters. (Maybe that's just me; I hate it when more new symbiotes are created and doomed to obscurity, but can't bear to see them die.) Even though Mercury Team is dead, its symbiotes and the Lasher war dog survive the encounter, ensuring their reappearance at some point in the future.
The writing in this issue may not have been as fun as in previous issues, but Bunn buckled down to deliver a solid, open-ended finale for the limited series. The story for issue #4 was less insane and more focused, which is okay with me; I like a little order to my chaos. The art was spectacular, as always, though the cover was still very much meh. I really haven't been a huge fan of Fabry and Adam Brown's covers for this series, and feel that veteran symbiote extraordinaire Clayton Crain would have been a far better choice for the covers. I'm just not that into the technicolor wackiness of Fabry and Brown's work.
Deadpool vs. Carnage #4 gets 4.5 stars out of 5 for the writing and 5 stars out of 5 for the art. Overall, this limited series gets 5 stars out of 5, and is definitely a must-read for those who've been waiting for this matchup since the '90s. You can either read the individual books digitally on Comixology right now or wait for the trade to come out in about a month, but don't skip this book if you're a Carnage or Deadpool fan. Don't forget to follow Fanboys Anonymous for more comic reviews by yours truly, and The Venom Site for all of your symbiote news, reviews, and points of views!
Posted by
Unknown
- Friday, June 27, 2014
Single and 3-day tickets for New York Comic Con went on sale Thursday at noon, and although ReedPOP reassured fans that they took the necessary steps to make sure purchasing tickets went as smoothly as possible, it did anything but that—crashing the website entirely within seconds.
When it comes to buying tickets to conventions, nothing is as stressful, and with New York Comic Con vastly growing to the size and popularity of San Diego Comic Con, it wasn't long until we saw the same repercussions.
Shortly after noon, the New York Comic Con website crashed due to the overwhelming traffic, landing users on a blank page with "Not Found (Error to Origin)." In an effort to quickly fix the issue, NYCC tweeted a direct link to ShowClix, the ticketing platform which remained—for the most part—working.
NYCC's virtual queue was a valiant attempt at accommodating the growing high demand in tickets. The queue automatically brought you to the tickets page when it was your turn, although the approximate wait time in the queue was at least an hour, and many people were directed to more error pages when buying tickets.
If that wasn't stressful enough, many fans were frustrated when they were forced to purchase single day tickets separately after the system said 3-day passes were sold out, even though others were still able to purchase them (I was able to after I refreshed the page).
Lance Fensterman, Global VP of ReedPOP that puts on the convention, acknowledged the system flaws, leaving a long apology statement that addressed major concerns and questions from fans.
"This is the identical ticket system we used last year," he wrote on Facebook. "The fact is that the demand for tickets was on a greater scale than even we did not imagine. For example, last year 4-day tickets took over 8 weeks to sell out, this year they took 40 minutes. The simple fact is that there is an extremely high demand for a limited supply of tickets."
He also went on to address the complaints of scalping as ticket scalpers acted fast, purchasing the maximum 6 tickets per order. Three-day passes quickly made it onto eBay and StubHub, selling for 400 times the original price.
"We have contacted eBay and they will not do anything to help us ban these sellers and in almost every instance, the sellers contact info is blocked. We will continue to pursue these one by one but when demand outstrips supply, capitalism dictates that someone is going to find a way to meet that demand."
The 8-year-old East Coast convention has reached San Diego size, with an estimated 130,000 people in attendance last year. SDCC, which has been notorious for selling out within minutes, eliminated their 4-day badges this year.
It seems like NYCC should take the cue from its West-coast counterpart, adding an ID system that enables loyal fans to purchase tickets ahead of the general public with a code from the previous year's badge.
Aside from this year's ticketing mess, ReedPOP expanded the pop-culture convention for a 10-day New York Super Week. A $10 Super Week Card (sold separately, unless you purchased a 4-day pass) will get you into all the events, which already sounds worth the hassle.
Were you able to purchase your NYCC tickets? Still aggravated and need to vent? Let us know in the comment section below!
Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the Fanboys out there.
MOVIES
The Batman Comes to Theaters in 2019.
My take: Ben Affleck will be starring in, and possibly directing, this sequel to Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. I'll be more interested after seeing what DC's long-term plans are. Is Arrow part of their continuity, and thus The Flash? I need to know what I'm investing my passion in here, because right now DC/WB seem to be a mess.
Star Wars: Episode VII vs. Jedi Hunters?
My take: It looks like the new Star Wars movie will be delving into old territory. It's possible "Order 66" is back in action, as the team might be fighting Jedi hunters of some kind. I actually don't care what the plot is. The original movies plots can be summed up in one sentence, but the actual movies are exciting and engaging as hell. So, J.J., make that happen again.
Shane Black's Predator to be a Sequel, not Reboot.
My take: Good, there's no need for a redesign of one of the most iconic villains in movie history. The franchise may not be strong, but fans are very forgiving for a series with little to work with aside from a well-designed movie monster.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Full Trailer.
My take: SPOILER ALERT?
We got a teaser image, now a full Shredder in action in a new TMNT trailer. The suit is completely ridiculous with its launchable blades that literally return to their point of origin to be launched again. What?? Yes. Also, do they seriously kill Master Splinter? Also, I'm not big on the voice acting of the turtles. I'm scared that Megan Fox is looking to be the best part of this movie right now.
TELEVISION
Gotham Villains Taking the Spotlight.
My take: Between The Riddler, Catwoman, Pengiun, and Poison Ivy, is this show more about the super villain than the cop named Gordon? It also seems remove the age-old question of whether Batman exists out of a need or the villains exist because of Batman.
COMIC BOOKS
Death of Wolverine Alternate Covers Overkill.
My take: Marvel is really milking A) a book that nobody asked for and B) a concept nobody buys into. This story seems like a lose-lose for Marvel and fans alike. The open marketing of the story (see: the spoiler right there in the title) and the promise that it will "stick" for some time have fans divided. Is this story even necessary?
Afterlife with Archie Finally Read…By Me.
My take: I know this is a little behind, but I was holding out on purchasing 3rd and 4th prints of the single issues for the TPB. I'm finally caught up on one of the biggest books of the year. It's a slow-paced story but flows along at a creepy pace. There are piles of nods to the original books, and it's nice knowing these already established characters. It allows no need for an explanation of relationships and motives. Definitely worth picking up if you heart can take the tragedy that befalls Riverdale.
X-Books Cancelled?
My take: No. This week, some stupid rumor got started on the forum website Comic Book Resources (the page has since been deleted) that stated the books were being axed. Somehow the story grew and, due to the attention The Fantastic Four has been getting, everyone got up in arms about it. The bottom line is that neither the X-books or the F-books are going anywhere.
HOLLYWOOD
George Lucas Opening Museum in 2018.
My take: The announcement was made with zero mention of Star Wars or Indiana Jones memorabilia. Not to gloss over the important works that will likely end up being displayed, but he knows his name is synonymous with Star Wars, right?
Watch out for this segment each and every Wednesday. We'll see you next week!
Did we miss something? What are your thoughts on these topics? Leave us a comment below!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Fanboys Anonymous will be appearing at the Too Many Games convention on June 27-29, 2014 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.
We'll be giving away prizes, playing video games (and seeing whether or not you can Beat the Dace Man) as well as filming interviews and possibly a live edition of one of our podcasts, and more!
Come stop by and say hello to us as well as check out the multitude of other great people representing their brands along with the Angry Video Game Nerd and other special guests.
TOO MANY GAMES SCHEDULE:
DAY 1: 3 PM — 10 PM
DAY 2: 10 AM — 8 PM * After Party starts at 8PM
DAY 3: 10 AM — 5 PM
For more information about guest appearances, panels, showcases, concerts, gaming tournaments and more, check out www.toomanygames.com
Posted by
Unknown
- Monday, June 23, 2014
Several days ago we posted an article detailing a rumored release schedule for Warner Bros.' DC Comics films, beginning with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016 and ending with Man of Steel 2 in 2018. In between were films setting up the larger Justice League franchise, Wonder Woman, and a few other heroes. Some sites (like ours) noticed a missing piece in that puzzle: no new Batman franchise. Well, we might have an answer now. Rumor is that a new franchise will begin in 2019 with a film simply entitled, The Batman.
While Ben Affleck will be playing the Dark Knight in the shared universe WB/DC is attempting to build, acting is almost his second job, these days. After disappearing for a few years, he turned to directing and made a splash with his debut feature, Gone Baby Gone. His second feature, The Town, did respectably and his third feature, Argo, went and won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2012. He's in a position to do just about anything he wants, so it looks like he's decided to have his cake and eat it, too. Clearly, he has a good working relationship with the folks at Warner Bros., who distributed his last two films (again, including a Best Picture winner) and who have since hired him to play one of their most lucrative characters.
The delay on a solo Batman film until 2019 is due to Warner Bros. letting Affleck have some latitude as a director as well — his next film, Live by Night, is slated to drop in October 2016, just a few months after Batman v Superman drops in May. Theoretically, after he finishes filming Batman v Superman, he'll go to work on Live by Night, which should be in post-production around the time Justice League heats up. Once that's done, he'll be set to step back into all of Bruce Wayne's suits.
Slashfilm suggests The Batman could also be open for Affleck to direct as his Live by Night follow-up, which I think is a smart call. Affleck has been bitten by the directing bug, and from what I've seen it's something he's good at. Putting him in near-total charge of what is, again, a hugely important franchise for Warner Bros. could be a risky move, but it could also be a chance for a creator to really spread his cape and do something tremendous. It would have to be, following in the footsteps of Christopher Nolan's already legendary take on the Caped Crusader.
What do you think? Are we pro- or anti-Batfleck, at this point? Is it as bad an idea to have him direct a DC film like Batman as it was to cast him as the Bat, or are you hopeful he can pull this off? I'm hopeful. Disagree with me. Go on. Leave it all in the comments below.
Posted by
Sarrah October Young
Normally a trip to Buffalo is not nearly enough to excite me; however, last weekend was the Buffalo Bisons' annual Star Wars baseball game.
Star Wars and baseball, together at last.
Last year, I thought it was a joke: a cruel, horrible, twisted joke that was being played on me when I was told about this annual themed game the Buffalo team organizes to raise money for charity. Of course I went, and of course it blew my mind, so when I had the opportunity to go back, I made the Kessel run (for my credit card) in less than 12 parsecs. I timed it.
First thing I noticed when I got there was home plate.
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| Darth Vader home plate |
I know. Just breathe and we'll get through this together, I promise. Then these guys showed up and I lost my damn mind.
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| Rebellion members at the ball park |
Chewie threw out the first pitch and he was magnificent.
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| Chewie throws right and catches left |
The stands filled up with people wearing either Star Wars t-shirts, costumes, or Toronto Blue Jays gear. I thought that people were just being jerks then I found out that the Bisons are actually Toronto's Triple A team, which made the sea of blue more tolerable.
My friends left me to get frosty beverages (beer) and this happened:
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| Darth Vader? More like Darth Vendor |
Yup, Darth Vader selling peanuts and cotton candy to children. I had to show my friends the photo because they didn't believe me. Apparently, this guy does costume changes throughout the game, and it's epic.
Speaking of epic, at the seventh inning stretch, Darth himself took over the mic and belted out a breathy rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame."
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| Sing it loud, Darth! |
After that, there were a series of short videos that the ballpark staff put together: the ongoing saga of the Empire trying to take over the Coca Cola Stadium. Unfortunately, I didn't get any video. I was too busy watching it and forgot until I was reminded that I should probably "get that."
I tried my best, but I couldn't get my companions to geek out with me until the very end. Part of our ticket package included a "lazer sword," and my friend Tea immediately took it because it lit up and made sounds. After the game, she ran behind her boyfriend Kyle and took every opportunity she could to stab him with it.
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| Padawan Tea goes on the offensive |
Next theme night is June 28th: Zombie Baseball. Interested? Go here for tickets and more information.
What about you guys? Have you even been to one of the themed night in Buffalo or anywhere else? Tell me all about it: I'm always looking for neat stuff like that.
Jodorowsky took creative liberties with the source material, but Herbert said that he and Jodorowsky had an amicable relationship. The project ultimately stalled for financial reasons. The film rights lapsed until 1982, when they were purchased by Italian filmmaker Dino De Laurentiis, who eventually released the 1984 film Dune, directed by David Lynch.
H.R. Giger went on to Ridley Scott's masterpiece Alien, Dan O'Bannon wrote Alien and Total Recall, Jean "Moebius" Giraud created artwork and futuristic worlds for Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Tron, and The Fifth Element, and Chris Foss would go on to work on Alien and Superman. Jodorowsky's films Sante Sangre, El Topo, and The Holy Mountain have recently been released on Blu-ray in the U.S.
This is an inspirational story about the power of the creative spirit, one that establishes Jodorowsky as a master of cinema and a true visionary of our time. Jodorowsky's Dune will available on DVD and Blu-ray on July 8, 2014.
